Potato-masher.



PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

D. E. JOHNSTON. POTATO MASHERJ APPLICATION FILED 001*.10/1905 yaw kw gm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAYTD E. JOHNSTON, OF.LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

' POTATO-MASHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3 1 '1 907.

' Application filed October 10,1905. Serial an 282,133.

-mashing potatoes and other cooked vegetables and is especially adapted for .use in hotels and other analo ous establishments where large quantities of potatoes and vegetables are used toexpedite the preparation of the latter for table use.

The machine embodies essentially two crushing or mashing rollers provided with means or operating the .same either manually or by power, and having a hopper supported thereover, the hop er being preferably removable to render the rollers accessible for cleaning or other operations.

The invention also contemplates the use of a particular frame structure of a light and durable character for holding the mashing or crushing rollers and the hopper.

The invention still further consists in the construction and arran ement of the several open structure having depending legs '2' adapted to rest upon a floor or other base support and transversely connected by lower, intermediate and top bars 3, 4 and 5. The uprights 1 are also attached at the side by longitudinal bars 6 disposed in the same plane as the bars 3. Suitable li ht metal will be used in the construction of t frame, and the general dimensions and proportions may be modified as desired. Secured on each intermediate cross bar 4 are pairs of journal boxes 7 of any preferred form to rovide bearings for shafts 8 and 9 of crus g or mashing rollers 10, the latter being of less length than the shafts and securely fastened by any suitable means to rotate with said shafts. On each of the shafts 8 and 9 a spur gear 11 is secured, both gears being held 1n continual mesh to simultaneously rotate the rollers 10 through the medium of a crank-handle or a power wheel or pulley respectively designated by the numerals 12 and 13, and shown ap lied to the shaft 9.v The shaft 9 is operater in such direction as to cause the rollers to rotate inwardly toward each otherto effectively draw the potatoes or other vegetables fed thereto between the rollers for obvious reasons.

A hop or 14 is disposed over the up er portion of the frame and rollers and is pre erably constructed from light sheet metal having an upper beaded head 15 and a lower sur rounding angle strip 16 secured to the lower end of said hopper to establish a snug fitting with respect to the rollers 10. The angle strips 16 reinforcethe lower end of the hopper which is projected inwardly as shown by ig. 3 to closely approach the rollers 10 and to sustain the weight of the material disposed in the hopper. Any of the material that may settle on this inwardly projecting flange will, in view of the inner motion of-the rollers, be picked up by the latter and thrown over toward the central point of contact of the two rollers and be drawn between the latter. The hopper 14 is removablefrom the rollers and is reliably supported when applied'by angle hangers 17 secured to the opposite ends thereof to fit over the top bars 5 of the uprights 1 of the frame, as clearly shown by Fig. 1. As will be noted by reference to Fig. 3, the point of contact between the hopper and the mashing rollersis above the shafts of r the rollers, whereby to insure a close fit between the parts and thus prevent the escape of material being operated upon. The angle hangers 17 have such elevation on the ends of the hopper as to cause the bottom of the latter to inclose the upper portions of the rollers 10 without contacting with the shafts 8 and 9, and thereby obviate use of any particular receptive construction in the lower portion of the hopper for the shafts. By having the hopper 14 removable in the man- 11ers ecified the rollers10 are-rendered accessible or cleaning purposes or other manipulations. The bars 3 and 6 of the frame may also be conveniently utilized as supporting means for a receptacle to receive the mashed potatoes or other vegetables falling from the rollers, the bars 6 being particularly useful for this purpose.

Cir

.when the shaft 9 is properly operated and in In the operation of the machine the cooked potatoes or other vegetables are fed to or deposited in the hopper' 14 and drawn downwardly between the rollers 10 and mashed turn controls the actuation oi the shaft 8 through the medium of the meshing gears 11. From the rollers, the mashed potatoes or other vegetables fall into the receptacle that may be placed between the uprights 1 and supported as hereinbefore set forth. The sides and ends of the frame being fully open or unobstructed will permit the ready inser-i tion and removal of the receptacle under and from beneath the rollers.

Theimproved machine will be found exceptionally advantageous for the purpose for which it has been specially devised, and in view of the simplicity of structure of the' several parts may be produced and sold at' a minimum expense.

Having thus described the lnventlon what is claimed as new, 1s:

In a machine of the class described, a pair of mashing rollers, an angular seat, a hopper 

